mixed species management and facility design · sitatunga spur-winged geese thomson’s gazelle...

Mixed Species Management and Facility Design

African Savannah

40-acres

Heavily-turfed

Dotted with shade trees

2-acre lake

Large pond

Mud wallows

Artificial termite mounds that double as feeders

NC Zoo’s Watani Plains

Species list

Bongo Common Waterbuck Fringe-eared oryx Greater kudu Nile lechwe Ostrich Sitatunga Spur-winged geese Thomson’s gazelle White rhino

Challenges

Insufficient winter housing

Herd dynamics

Logistics for capture and restraint

Managing breeding herds

Managing nutrition

Old exhibit arial

The Holding Exhibit

Old Complex

Rhino Yards

Rhino Barn

Holding Yards

Holding Barns

Treatment Barn

Renovation Goals

collection management)

Provide more winter housing

Accommodate large herds of mixed species antelope

Improved Management of veterinary cases Sort individuals

Accommodate surplus antelope

Add quarantine space

Allow for operant conditioning

Goals (continued)

Enhance rhino breeding program

Accommodate surplus animals

Manage pre-shipment

Add quarantine space

Accommodate “teaser” male

Accommodate special situations, e.g. veterinary, reproduction

Add retirement space

The North Carolina Zoo’s Watani Grassland Reserve

African Plains Barns Complex

E/R Barn

Rhinos on exhibit

Termite mound feeders

Alfalfa creep

Heated shelter

• 20’x20’ holding stalls x2

• 13’x20’ shift stall

• Static training chute

• In-Floor Radiant Heat

• Supplemental radiant overhead heating

• Resilient flooring

Rhino Annex aka Surplus Rhino Holding

Two 1-acre holding paddocks

Small side holding yard

Renovation Goals

collection management)

Provide more winter housing

Accommodate large herds of mixed species antelope

Improved Management of veterinary cases Sort individuals

Accommodate surplus antelope

Add quarantine space

Allow for operant conditioning

• 55’x35’ communit stall

• Two 15’x12’ holdi stalls

• In-floor radiant heating

• Large doors operated by hydraulics

• Access to chute system

Hoofstock Holding Barn

Hoofstock Holding Barns

35’x50’ community stalls

2 small culling/holding stalls

Access to chute system

Holding yards

Smaller side paddocks x4

~ 75’x75’ each

Large front paddocks x3

~ 1 acre each

• Hydraulic tamer

• Drop floor tamer

• Six 10’x20’ stalls

• Procedure

• Recovery

• Holding x2

• Hand-rearing x2

• Quarantine yard

• Small stall paddocks x2

• Keeper office with restroom

• Food prep kitchen w/ ice machine & W/D

• Workshop/ storage

Hoofstock Treatment Barn

Hydraulic tamer Animal perspective

Drop floor tamer Animal perspective

Procedure Recovery

Holding

Hand-rearing

Chute System (seen in blue) • Connects all antelope barns

• Loading ramp for shipments

• Pushboard system

• aka: Mad-maxium antelope mover

4’-wide main chute connecting new barns to treatment barn

4’-wide chute connecting treatment barn to old barn complex Adjustable height loading ramp

8’-wide culling chute from large paddocks to 4’ chute

Normal gate set up to allow access between large paddocks

Gate set up to push animals from large paddock into small side paddock

Gate set up to push from large paddock to culling chute

Mad-maxium push board system

How it works How it works

Problems Continued difficulty sorting individuals

Entrance into chute system Isolation from the herd

Conflicts with public visibility

Problems with physical restraints

right angles Gap in the follow distance

Limited use of treatment stall